Electrochemical and photophysical characterization of non-peripherally-octaalkyl substituted dichlorotin(IV) phthalocyanine and tetrabenzotriazaporphyrin compounds

Three non-peripherally substituted tin(IV) macrocylic compounds, octahexylphthalocyaninato dichlorotin(IV) (3a), octahexyltetrabenzo-5,10,15- triazaporphyrinato dichlorotin(IV) (3b) and octadecylphthalocyaninato dichlorotin(IV) (3c) were synthesized and their photophysical and electrochemical behavior studied. Complex 3b, containing a CH group in place of one of the aza nitrogen atoms of the phthalocyanine core, shows a split Q-band due to its lower symmetry. The triplet state quantum yields were found to be lower than would be expected on the basis of the heavy atom effect of tin as the central metal for phthalocyanine derivatives (3a and 3c). In contrast, 3b shows a triplet quantum yield Φ T = 0.78. The triplet state lifetimes were solvent dependent, and were higher in tetrahydrofuran than in toluene. Cyclic voltammetry and spectroelectrochemistry of the complexes revealed only ring-based redox processes.